Thank you, Member. Minister.
Debates of Feb. 24th, 2021
This is page numbers 2083 - 2120 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was health.
Topics
Committee Motion 79-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Corporate Management - Deletion of $303,000 from Grants, Contributions and Transfers, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Committee Motion 79-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Corporate Management - Deletion of $303,000 from Grants, Contributions and Transfers, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Shane Thompson Nahendeh
Thank you. I will start, and with your permission, I will turn to the deputy minister. With the City of Yellowknife, we have been in meetings. I think our next meeting is March 2nd, I believe, that we're meeting with them to talk about it. There is a process that we feel we're close to. We've provided it in writing. We've asked for their feedback. We've also reached out to the NWTAC to give it to them because we're not just looking at Yellowknife. We're looking at across the Northwest Territories. We're trying to develop the process, and if I've missed anything, with your permission, I'll ask the deputy minister. Thank you.
Committee Motion 79-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Corporate Management - Deletion of $303,000 from Grants, Contributions and Transfers, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2093
Committee Motion 79-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Corporate Management - Deletion of $303,000 from Grants, Contributions and Transfers, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2093
Haener
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think the Minister hit on pretty much everything. However, just to elaborate a little bit, we are taking almost two tracks at the same time. The process guide with the City of Yellowknife is being used to help us kind of maybe take a step back to make more general process guide that we can share with other communities more broadly, and that is our intention. We're working with Municipal and Community Affairs to make sure that that more general process guide meets the needs, and our intention would be to walk through that with members of the Association of Communities, probably before the end of, we hope before the end of the fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 79-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Corporate Management - Deletion of $303,000 from Grants, Contributions and Transfers, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2093
Committee Motion 79-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Corporate Management - Deletion of $303,000 from Grants, Contributions and Transfers, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2093
Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm looking to have some understanding of: if we accomplish all this work and a municipality has control of all the land within the municipal boundaries in fee simple, what role does the Department of Lands then have in regards to municipal activities and their land? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 79-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Corporate Management - Deletion of $303,000 from Grants, Contributions and Transfers, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2093
Committee Motion 79-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Corporate Management - Deletion of $303,000 from Grants, Contributions and Transfers, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2093
Committee Motion 79-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Corporate Management - Deletion of $303,000 from Grants, Contributions and Transfers, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2093
Committee Motion 79-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Corporate Management - Deletion of $303,000 from Grants, Contributions and Transfers, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2093
Haener
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'll reference the Public Land Act. That's our primary piece of legislation and as the title says, public land. Our mandate derives from supporting good, strong management of public land. When land is turned over to a municipality or to others, it becomes private land, and our role is greatly diminished to almost non-existent in relation to that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 79-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Corporate Management - Deletion of $303,000 from Grants, Contributions and Transfers, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2093
Committee Motion 79-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Corporate Management - Deletion of $303,000 from Grants, Contributions and Transfers, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2093
Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am happy to hear that. I think one of the frustrations, municipalities have experienced and why they're asking for this is that they often get confused of where Lands authorities starts and Municipal and Community Affairs authorities ends. I recognize that community plans will still have to continue to exist, and MACA will approve them. I have no issue of that. I think the frustration in the past has been MACA pointing to Lands and then Lands pointing to MACA. In regards to the City of Yellowknife, can I get an update of -- I understand we are working on getting a process guide, but the actual transfer of land has many steps. The surveying and actually getting it transferred over. Do we have an expectation of when that will be complete? When we'll actually see the bulk land transfer done? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 79-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Corporate Management - Deletion of $303,000 from Grants, Contributions and Transfers, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2094
Committee Motion 79-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Corporate Management - Deletion of $303,000 from Grants, Contributions and Transfers, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Shane Thompson Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Chair. When we're looking at this bulk land transfer, we are trying to do it well-played out and well-plotted. We don't want to just say, "Here you go," and it's done. We want to make sure that we do it successfully. We want to make sure we help the municipality, which is the City of Yellowknife, be prepared to do things. We are willing to start out with small parcels of land and move towards getting the large bulk land transfer, but again, it comes down to when the City of Yellowknife, when we go through it and negotiate, when they are ready to take over the bulk land transfer. It's going to take us some time. I cannot put a time frame to it. When they come to us and say, "Yes, we're ready to go," then we would go into the next step and get going on that, but we need to work with them. That's why we have that meeting on March 2nd. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 79-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Corporate Management - Deletion of $303,000 from Grants, Contributions and Transfers, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair Rocky Simpson
Thank you, Minister. Any further questions? No further questions. Please turn to page 311. Lands, corporate management, operations expenditure summary, 2021-2022 Main Estimates, $3,592,000. Does committee agree?
Committee Motion 79-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Corporate Management - Deletion of $303,000 from Grants, Contributions and Transfers, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 79-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Corporate Management - Deletion of $303,000 from Grants, Contributions and Transfers, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair Rocky Simpson
Thank you. Operations beginning on page 314 with information item on 316. Questions? Member.
Committee Motion 79-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Corporate Management - Deletion of $303,000 from Grants, Contributions and Transfers, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Katrina Nokleby Great Slave
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm just wondering if the department can tell us around equity leases, for those that are paid and are in good standing, when are they going to be able to get the title? Thank you.
Committee Motion 79-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Corporate Management - Deletion of $303,000 from Grants, Contributions and Transfers, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2094
Committee Motion 79-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Corporate Management - Deletion of $303,000 from Grants, Contributions and Transfers, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Shane Thompson Nahendeh
Thank you very much. If they're in good standing, we have set out a process. That information has been sent out to the individuals explaining the process as we move forward. The time frame, we are hoping to have it done as quickly as possible, but for more clarity, with your permission, I will ask the deputy minister to provide more information. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 79-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Corporate Management - Deletion of $303,000 from Grants, Contributions and Transfers, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2094
Committee Motion 79-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Corporate Management - Deletion of $303,000 from Grants, Contributions and Transfers, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2094
Haener
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Currently, there are 14 leases in the fee simple title administrative process. One is transferred. In January, an additional 17 equity lessees submitted an application for fee simple title. There's a total of 218 that have been identified for transfer under this project, and they have been coming in in bits and pieces, so to speak, depending on the readiness of the individuals, the lessees. We are obviously interested in trying to support the lessees to make these transfers as expeditiously as possible. We will continue to work with them to do that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 79-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Corporate Management - Deletion of $303,000 from Grants, Contributions and Transfers, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2094
Committee Motion 79-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Corporate Management - Deletion of $303,000 from Grants, Contributions and Transfers, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2094
Katrina Nokleby Great Slave
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am just looking at the active positions for operations. I have noted that the department has decreased by six positions over the year and, notably, four of them in regional offices, which is concerning given our mandate of increasing employment outside of headquarters. Could the Minister speak a little bit to the loss of those positions? Thank you.
Committee Motion 79-19(2): Tabled Document 286-19(2): Main Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Corporate Management - Deletion of $303,000 from Grants, Contributions and Transfers, Defeated
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2094